Lavender Haze

Chapter Two

Ferndell Hall:

Emberly was laughing and running through the halls when she rounded a corner, nearly colliding with Miss Lane.

"Emberly!" Miss Lane exclaimed.

"Sorry!" Emberly shouted over her shoulder, not slowing her pace as she rounded the corner towards the library. She ducked behind the door, panting and trying to catch her breath. She peeked around the entryway, scanning for her pursuer. Seeing no sign of him, she turned back around and leaned against the bookcase, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Ah!" A voice shouted, causing her to jump. Her eyes shot open to find her pursuer standing right in front of her.

"It seems I've found you," Sherlock stated.

"It seems you have," she replied, her heart skipping a beat as Sherlock began to close the distance between them, effectively blocking her escape route.

Her breath quickened and her heart pounded in her chest.

"Rose," Sherlock spoke, breaking the silence.

"Sherlock," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper. Sherlock was the only person who ever called her by her middle name, and he was the only one allowed to. Everyone else referred to her as Emberly or Miss Williams.

"Rose," he repeated, now even closer. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She had just turned fifteen, and Sherlock was now seventeen. Emberly had always admired Sherlock, but recently her feelings had evolved into something more.

Unable to break his gaze, Sherlock leaned in closer, eliminating the remaining space between them.

"Rose."

She closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss she so desperately wanted.

"Rose!"

Startled, she snapped out of her thoughts and found Sherlock still standing outside her door.

"May I?" He asked, gesturing towards the interior of her flat.

"Oh," she said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "Yes, of course." She stepped aside to let Sherlock in.

"So, London?" He asked.

"What are you doing here?" She interrupted.

"You know it's not ladylike to stare, Miss Williams," Sherlock joked.

"That doesn't answer my question" Emberly retorted, causing Sherlock to chuckle.

"What are you doing here, Sherlock?" She asked sincerely this time.

"I live here," he replied.

"W-what?"

"221B." He pulled out his smoking pipe from his pocket and pointed upwards. "Just above you."

She was at a loss for words. She hadn't seen Sherlock in three years, and now here he was in London, on Baker Street, in her flat, looking as handsome as ever, perhaps even more so.

"You look just the same as when I last saw you," Sherlock said. "Perhaps even more beautiful." He smiled before heading towards the door.

"Was he reading my thoughts?" She wondered.

"So you're just going to show up at my door, tell me I'm beautiful, and then leave? Again?" She demanded.

"It does seem I do that to you a lot," he joked.

"You are an enigma, Mr. Holmes," she said, blushing.

"Lovely to see you again, Rose," Sherlock said, smiling as he exited, closing the door behind him.